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On the path of enlightenment

By Upali Salgado

The two words, Buddha Jayanthi will, from Vesak day (May 12, 2006) on, echo in the thoughts of billions of Buddhists all over the world. What then is a Buddha Jayanthi? Buddha means the “Enlightened One” or the “Exalted” or the “Perfect One”. Sakyamuni Gauthama (or Gotama) Buddha, the last in a line of several Buddhas, was an extraordinary man who with His own efforts realised the truth concerning human suffering (i.e. Dukkha – suffering; Samudyaya – cause of suffering; Nirodha – the cessation of suffering, Marga – the Path). He practised several virtues or perfections before He attained Bodhi, the ideal state of intellectual and mental perfection.

After He attained Bodhi, He was the “Shower of the Way” for human liberation. His doctrine (or Dharma) showed how one could, with one’s own efforts, after several rounds in samsara (successive births) lead a happy life both in this world and in the next.

Jayanthi briefly means a victory or a celebration. It is a milestone to be remembered. The Buddha Jayanthi, to be celebrated during the next twelve months, marks 2550 years of Buddhism in the world, and its preservation. It is a celebration to offer homage to the Great Master and to recount in each country certain important events concerning Buddhism. On this historic day, in each temple at least one person will be ordained a Samanera Bhikkhu. It is hoped that 2550 Samanera Bhikkus will be ordained during this year in Sri Lanka.

Gotama Buddha and his Dharma

Dr. S. Radhakrishna, Ph.D. India, said, “When we read the Buddha’s discourses, we are impressed by his spirit of reason. His ethical path has right views and a rational outlook.”

In the Buddhist religious treatise Anguttara Nikaya (Part 1) it is stated that “A unique Being, an extraordinary man arises in the world for the benefit of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the benefit of Gods in heaven and men on earth. Who is this unique Being? It is the Tathagatha, the Exalted, fully enlightened one?”

The fragrance of this Buddha Jayanthi (2550 years) encompasses revered thoughts of the Buddha, His teachings and the spread and preservation of His noble doctrine. Prince Siddhartha of the Sakya clan was born at Lumbini, and later became known as Sakyamuni Gotama Buddha. At birth, on that historic full moon day in 453 BC (or is it 483 BC?) Prince Siddhartha’s body revealed several meaningful marks, which indicated that He would be a universal monarch. Only a Bodhisattva could have these “Purusa Lakshana” on His palms and soles of His feet.

Buddha He gave up His Royal Palace life, and lived as a mendicant. After several meditative Jhanas, while seated under a Bodhi Tree at Gaya, He found the answer for man to end suffering. Finally, He diffused to the world, the way to expel darkness. He was no creator God or Messiah of a God, and preached His noble Dharma with clairvoyance, to Kings, noblemen, peasants in a caste-ridden society of murderers and robbers. He identified that ignorance and craving (or attachment) are two great evils, which resulted in man to be born, age, suffer and die in samsara, until you gain perfection and vimukthi. The four noble truths and the eightfold noble path formed the bedrock of the Master’s teaching.

The texts say:
“By oneself alone is evil done,
By oneself alone is one defiled,
By oneself alone is evil avoided.
By oneself is one purified.
Purity and impurity depend on oneself,
None can purify another.”

Ven. Piyadassi Nayake Thera said, “Buddhism, while not denying the world of matter and the great effect that the physical world has on mental life, emphasises the very great importance of the core of our existence. All our psychological experience such as pain, pleasure, sorrow, happiness, good and evil, and life and death are not attributed to any external agency. They are the results of our own thoughts, and resultant actions.”

The Buddha Dharma does not subscribe to the view of vicarious salvation. In Buddhism there is no concept of sin as explained by other religions. The vicarious salvation from sin (as stated in certain theological religions) has not helped man to stop committing sin. According to Buddhism man will karmically reap what he sows. Karmic correlations are neither deterministic, nor fatalistic. The karmic process (Karmabhava) is the energy of the present life that conditions a future life in unending sequence.

The Samyatta Nikaya says:
According to the seed that is sown,
So its fruit, ye reap there from
Doers of good (will gather) good,
Doers of evil, evil reaps,
Sown is the seed, and planted well
Then shall enjoy the fruits therefrom.

The rationality of Buddhism

The rationality of Buddhim embraces Buddhist philosophy in an ethical manner. Unlike in certain other religions, unquestionable belief or faith, and acceptance of miracles do not arise. Buddhism is free from fanaticism. It is aimed to transform man, who at times is wicked to himself and to others, by self-culture and self-conquest. In the Kalama Sutta, the Buddha made it very clear that no one should accept his Dharma, just because he says so.

His Dharma was open to questioning in public. He never coerced anyone to accept His teaching. He did not resort to performing miracles in public (although He did so once, to show His “greatness” to the Jain leader Alarma Rama-putra when He turned fire into water). He said, “Revere your own religion, revile no brother’s faith, the light you see is from Nirvana’s sun, whose rising splendours promise a perfect day. The feeble rays that light your brother’s path, are from the self same sun, by falsehood hid. The lingering shadows are the passing night.” That was the manner in which He preached His Dharma, with a measure of tolerance.

Buddhism has always been a religion of non violence. Never have there been in its long history, wars of religion. Emperor Asoka who at first was a warrior king, gave up the use of the sword, and later ruled righteously in a Buddhist manner. He later sent out missionaries to Sri Lanka and Burma, carrying the message of the Buddha.
The history of Buddhism has been revealed from the Suttas (Buddha discourses) and from archaeological evidence. Buddhism spread from India to modern Afghanistan, Baluchistan, Bhutan, north Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma (modern Myanmar), Thailand, Java, Vietnam, Cambodia, China and Japan, within two centuries of the Master’s demise.

The great chronicle Mahavansa records that Buddhism was introduced to ancient Sri Lanka by Arahant Maha Mahinda, during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. Another important landmark in the history of Sri Lanka’s Buddhism is Theri Sangamitta’s visit to Anuradhapura, when she brought a Bo-sapling from Buddha Gaya. Other important events remembered today are the translation of the Tripitaka, and Buddhaghosa’s visit.

Sri Lanka’s Buddhist Resurgence

Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Maha Nayaka Thera, Ven. Weligama Sri Sumangala Maha Nayaka Thera, Ven. Waskaduve Sri Subhuthi Maha Nayaka Thera, Ven. Rathmalane Dhammarama Maha Thera, Ven. Soratha Maha Thera, Ven. Sri Vajiragnana Maha Nayaka Thera, Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitri Maha Nayake Thera, Ven. Heenatiyana Dhammaloka Tissa Maha Nayaka Thera, Ven. Renukane Chandavimala Maha Nayaka Thera.

During the Buddha Jayanthi celebrated in 1956 (2500 years Buddhism), the Buddhist world adopted the use of a five colour flag and quite recently the Government of Sri Lanka moved in the United Nations to declare Vesak poya a holiday.

In the field of Buddhist literature we have a Pali-Sinhala Dictionary, translation of the Dhammapada to Sinhala and English, the Vimikthi Magga and the Visuddhi Magga, several volumes of the Buddhist Encyclopedia, valuable Jathakas, Suttas in Pali and Sinhala. This has been possible due to the efforts of Buddhist monks and Buddhist lay scholars led by Prof. G. P. Malalasekara and others in universities. A Pali Buddhist University has been established as well. Buddhism is now also on the internet.

During this Jayanthi, Buddhists will have a golden opportunity to listen to a large number of sermons to enrich their lives. It will be a year of religious observances, including meditation on subjects such as impermanence. Bhakthi Geetha will be sung and lamps will be lit in honour of the Buddha. Bhikkhus will be cared for, the poor will be fed and clothed, and inmates in hospitals will be comforted and motivated by Karuna, Daham Schools will be further developed and animals will be looked after by societies.

Perhaps, the finest hour of Buddhism in recent years in Sri Lanka was the flood of spontaneous help given in numerous ways with great compassionate feeling, when the massive tsunami waves struck. On that Poya day, when thousands of Buddhist devotees were in their temples, people affected by the tragedy sought help from the temples. Buddhist monks and devotees acted with great sympathy to immediately provide shelter and food. A large number of Christians living in the Beruwela, Maggona areas were (without any hindrance) permitted by the temple monks to conduct their own religious activities. Buddhist tolerance of other religions shone like a bright star in those dark days.
The Buddha Jayanthi will remind the masses of the Buddha’s teaching, the virtues of which are crystallised in the oft quoted exhortation of all Buddhas.

“The giving up of evil,
The cultivation of the good,
The cleansing of the mind
This is the Buddha’s teaching.”

- Dhammapada
“Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhitatha”

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